Desires Unfulfilled
by xSeraphinexLightx
Summary: Sarah's life is boring and doesn't seem to be going anywhere. But when she least expects it, she gets pulled into a dark and terrifying battle she wants nothing to do with. Will things get better, or will she forever be stuck in danger's way? Can those from her past help her? Or are they all doomed to a tragic end? JarethXSarah
1. Chapter 1

Desires Unfulfilled

A/N: Hey! I just recently fell in love with the Labyrinth movie and can't get enough of it. After reading countless fanfictions on here, I decided that I just HAD to do one myself. Let me know if you like it, it will certainly keep me writing if I know people want more. If I falloff the bandwagon and stop writing, just pop in and tell me! Then I'll get my butt in gear and write something! I really wanna keep myself active. :] Thanks and enjoy.

Chapter 1: Unwanted Visitor

The sun shone into a brightly colored bedroom. Light wooden floors, and comforting yellow hues adorned the room, and bed. Among the pastel sheets, a curtain of black hair stood in strong contrast. A soft groan could be heard from soft lips as Sarah grumbled about the light. "What time is it…" she muttered quietly as she moved onto her elbows, glancing sideways at the alarm clock beside her bed. _9:15 am- Saturday_ She groaned once more and fell onto her face into the pillow. She had to work in an hour! With much irritation she pulled herself from bed and began rushing around to get ready.

It was ten years since she had visited the magical world of the Goblin King, and her life couldn't be less magical. After a few years her friends stopped visiting her, and she no longer saw the white owl in the trees outside of her father's home. Life just went on, and it also went downhill. Needless to say, Sarah never got to become the famous actress she dreamed of. Quite the opposite, she was a starving waitress at a local restaurant. She worked to pay her rent and normally only got food when she was working- because it was free. Sarah's father always asked her to come home, but she wanted freedom, she wanted to be on her own. She knew there was something out there for her, but she just wasn't sure what it was yet.

Staring into her bathroom mirror she glared at the green eyes and black hair that stood reflected back at her. Sarah was pale, but it fit her, any time she tried to tan she only burned, with no tan to follow. She was always either red, or white. No in between. Over the years she had filled out, developing the curving body that all women desired, while keeping a toned and fit figure. She was a decent looking young woman in her eyes, but she couldn't help but envy others. What woman didn't?

A text waited on her phone as she moved towards it. _Meeting after you work? –T _It was Tony, her sort of boyfriend. That was the other problem with Sarah. She couldn't seem to keep a decent relationship with anyone. All of her relationships ended because either she wouldn't put out for the man, or he just didn't give her the spark she was searching for. Sarah wasn't going to give up her last bit of innocence for just anyone, nor would she spend the rest of her life with anyone in particular. She had to find that perfect match, and it wasn't an easy task for her. She texted him back quickly that they were still meeting and then rushed off to work. She was working a double shift so she wouldn't be getting out until after dinner, meaning she would be exhausted. She only hoped Tony wouldn't cause her any trouble.

Work was to put it lightly….uh…HORRIBLE. Sarah had been hit on by at least a dozen drunk creeps, and her boss had yelled at her for not flirting back with them. She wasn't going to flirt with someone who creeped her out as badly as these bozo's did. Who would have! She ended up just pushing her boss aside and getting back to her tables. She was there to make money and tips, if he was mad, he could just go ahead and fire her. But he wouldn't- he needed Sarah.

As she stepped out of the restaurant she glanced up at the night sky. The stars were out already and she glanced down at her phone to take note of the time. It was about seven thirty, but during the winter it got dark by six. She pulled her black pea coat tighter around her uniform, which consisted of only a jean skirt, her waitress apron tied around her waist, and a red polo shirt. Her feet were thankfully covered in flat boots that came to her mid-calf. But otherwise she was freezing. Where was Tony? She grumbled quietly as she walked a little farther away from the restaurant to see if he was nearby. He always met her out front on Saturdays. It was the only reason she walked to work. "Tony?" she called out. Sarah turned around when a sound alerted her. "Tony?" she said again, in hopes he was just trying to freak her out. "I'm not in the mood, come on!" she whined.

Slowly she approached the direction of the sound. Was he messing around in the alley? "If you're down there…get out…it's dirty in there…Joe is always peeing on everything there…" She was referring to one of her gross coworkers, who tended to get drunk every shift and proceed to pee in the nearest alley. "Tony!" As she finally reached the opening to the alley she frowned to find nobody there. "The…heck…" she mumbled, turning around to look back out at the street. He was late.

Sarah waited another thirty minutes, until her legs became numb, and then started to walk home. She was going to give Tony a piece of her mind when she spoke to him next. Still fuming as she got home, she unlocked her apartment door and slammed it behind her. "Stupid men…can't even call if they're going to stand you up…" She murmured. This was why she never slept with any of them! They weren't worth it.

Suddenly Sarah stopped, setting her purse down and realizing that the lights were all on. She hadn't turned any lights on when she woke up…so why were they on now? "Tony?" she called out softly. Sarah moved forward towards the kitchen but didn't make it but six steps when a voice was heard behind her. She whirled around in time to see a hooded figure approaching. "Who are you!"

"So you're Sarah…." The voice mused, deep and dripping with a dangerous edge.

"Wha- Who…Why are you in my house!" Sarah snapped. The man continued to approach her, until she had backed herself up against one of her walls. "Get away from me!" she cried out as he reached out to her. She ducked out of his reach and rushed towards the door only to be stopped by an invisible force. "What….What is this?!" she choked, her eyes set in an angry glare as the man moved around in front of her.

"Shh…no need to make a big fuss, my dear…We're just going for a little trip…" He grinned pleasantly as he slipped his hood off. He wasn't a bad looking man, his features were perhaps a little too angular for her taste, but what got her the most was the terrible glint in his eyes. "Back to the Labyrinth….or…at least the world it belongs too…" he said with a low chuckle.

"I didn't wish anything though…You aren't the Goblin King…" She argued, still unable to move past the force keeping her in place.

"Oh…I know…He has nothing to do with this-….Actually that's a lie…he has everything to do with it…" the man laughed again and suddenly his hand shot out to strike Sarah across the face, sending her across the room, the force releasing her as her head struck the wall. She remained on the floor, slumped over as pain shot through her head, and a warmth seeped down the side of her face. Darkness soon followed and she knew nothing but the memories that assaulted her mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Desires Unfulfilled

A/N: Oh I got a lot of views the first night the chapter was up! So happy! I even got two reviews! Awesome! Thank you Princess of the Fae, and Jetredgirl! I hope to get more comments as this progresses.

Chapter 2: Void of Despair

_Crumble…tap..tap…Crumble…tap…tap…Crumble._ Sarah groaned softly as she stirred out of her unconscious state. Her eyes fluttered open only to see nothing. It was pitch black wherever she was, and she could feel nothing but the dirt beneath her. "Hello?" she called out tentatively. No answer. The crumbling noises continued to her right and she assumed it was just more dirt like what was beneath her. But why was it falling? And what was that tapping noise? "Hello!" A groan could be heard after Sarah's shout and then a sliding, metal scraping sound occurred. Slowly light flickered over her as something above her head began to move. She looked upwards to see the top of her confining chamber to be sliding off, revealing a sky that seemed all too familiar. Was she in the Underground? No…Though the man had said that was where they were going. Couldn't she just call for a wish from the Goblin King? Would that fix her dilemma!? No! She could never ask for him again, not with his trickery.

"Hey…Girl! Shut up down there!" snapped a man she didn't recognize.

"Where am I?!" demanded Sarah as she shakily stood up, still craning her neck back to look at the hole in the ceiling. It appeared that someone had dug a deep hole in the ground and covered it with a metal plate. Was this where she would be kept, and if it was, for how long? Sarah couldn't stop the questions from flooding her mind. "Why am I here!?"

"Shhh! I told you to shut up!" the man snapped again, quickly sliding the metal slab back over the hole, once more dumping Sarah into darkness.

"WAIT! NO! HEY!" Sarah cried out. "This isn't fair!" she stamped her foot in irritation and then groaned. Her head was still aching from when she hit the wall at her house. Lifting a hand she softly touched the side of her head. It was crusty. Blood. "Now what am I to do?" she said in a hushed voice. Despite not being able to see anything, she began to grope the walls for anything useful for an escape. But the more she felt around, the more she got disappointed. There was no escaping a hole. There weren't even any foot holes in order to climb, and she had to be a good twenty feet down. With a sigh Sarah sat down in the center of her hole and thought about what had happened to Tony. Did the monster who took her hurt him? She gave out a soft cry, "No…poor Tony…" she shook her head. "No…he's fine…" she mumbled. In all honesty she had been planning to break up with him for a few days, but hadn't built up the courage yet, but despite that she didn't want him to be hurt because of his involvement with her!

Time passed painfully slow, and Sarah had no idea what time it was until the metal slab was once again slid open. Her eyes gazed upwards to see lanterns illuminating a few male figures. It was dark out, which meant a good bit of time had passed since the last time anyone checked on her. "Let me out of here! Please?!" she said loudly, trying to at least be polite with her demand.

"Shut up, you!" said a familiar voice as a man jumped down into the pit. He landed gracefully and then stood, taking his hood off as he did so. It was the same man from her apartment. "You've got to do something for us before we do anything for you…" he mused with a grin. His cruel eyes were a dark shade of brown, teetering close to black as he approached her with the lantern casting a yellow hue across his skin.

"W-What do you want?" Sarah asked. She stood up and started to walk backwards until her back hit something solid. But though she had been expecting the wall, the solid object moved, and she discovered it was another man.

"We need you to call for your darling Goblin King, Jareth…." The man said with a smile.

"What?! Why? Call for him yourself…." Sarah grumbled.

"No. If we could do that- We would have already. The fool would already be dead if he would respond to us…But he knows what we're up too…he would never come without backup…" The man's voice grew angry and he shot out a hand to grab Sarah's chin in a firm grip. "You must call him- He will run to his precious Sarah…."

"You're the fool! He would never come for me…He probably hates me because I defeated his labyrinth," she growled.

"Oh…no my dear….You know nothing of what has happened since you left all those years ago…Nothing at all! NOW CALL FOR HIM! And then…we'll let you go home…"

The desire to go home was strong within Sarah, but another desire was stronger. She didn't want to lead Jareth into a trap, no matter how she felt about their past meetings. Another part of her warmed at the thought of him coming to her beck and call. But would he really come? She didn't think so, but there was no way she was going to try, not if it would potentially put him in danger. "NO! I won't call him…you can't make me!"

The man's face twisted in anger and his grip on her chin tightened until she gasped in pain. "You will do as I say, or you will feel the consequences…." He threatened. Sarah kept a set jaw and a tight glare in her eyes. "Insolent woman!" She cried out as she was suddenly flung from the man behind her and across the pit, hitting the dirt wall with a loud thud. She made a noise of discomfort as she wobbled to her feet, only to be grasped firmly by the neck and slammed into the wall. "Call him."

She looked up at the man and gritted her teeth, "No." A frustrated growl met her ears as he tossed her to the ground, followed by a swift kick to her side. Sarah cried out and curled up in a ball on the filthy ground. Then they were all gone. The men and their lanterns, and her pit was shrouded in total darkness once more. "I will not call him…." She whispered softly. She should have no reason to protect him, but it seemed wrong to sacrifice someone else for her own safety and comfort. They probably wouldn't let her go home anyway. She had seen enough drama and action films to know that the kidnaped victim never got returned home safely. Her body ached slightly from the rough treatment, but it was bearable. Hopefully it didn't get any worse.

Unfortunately, it did get worse. Much worse. Sarah wasn't exactly sure how long it lasted, but she was pretty sure she'd seen at least six days transition, but it could have been longer if she was knocked out for more than a day. But every time she woke up, once when the sun was up, and then when the sun was down, they would return. Occasionally they would bring water and bread, but she barely touched what they gave her. But each time they arrived the demands begun again, and the pain only got worse. She was sure that things were broken, surely a rib or two, she had very little use of her left arm, and every step she took caused a shock of pain to shoot up her leg. Her throat was tender, because her kidnapper seemed to enjoy grabbing her by the throat and tossing her around like a rag doll. But no matter what torturous thing they did to her, she wouldn't call for him.

"Are you ready to call for help, Sarah?" cooed the man. She still never received a name from him, from anyone. She shook her head slightly, barely able to make any movement from her weakened body. The lack of food and water, and the extent of her injuries were starting to wear down her body, making normal movements nearly impossible. The crack of something made her eyes water. A whip? Really?!

She glanced up at him with defiant eyes, still refusing to do as he wanted. She was not his pawn; she would not do his dirty work for him. Even as the whip slashed at her skin, destroying what was left of her work uniform, she still didn't utter a sound for Jareth. She tried to bite back her cries of pain, but she couldn't after the first four slashes. The pain was just too extreme. "You know how to end the pain, dear…." Whispered the man. He was leaning down to her level on the dirt, a devious twinkle in his eyes. She gritted her teeth and built up enough strength to spit at him, causing him to become even more enraged. She wasn't sure how many more slashes she received, but she could barely feel the warmth running down her back. She was numb, and soon the world went black.

_Crumble….Tap…Tap…Crumble…_

"This is odd…Has this always been here?" spoke a voice from above. _Tap….Tap….Tap….Tap.._ Sarah stirred from her pained slumber and listened as well as she could. The voice. That voice. Who was it? It sounded so familiar. "I do believe this is new…but I have not traveled this far from the castle in a while…What say you!" A muffled and grumbled response was all she heard.

"He-Hello?" Sarah croaked, her voice splitting into an unattractive discord. "Help…Please…." The voices stopped above her and everything went still for several minutes. Sarah felt her stomach drop. Had they moved on?

But then the metal started to scratch and she knew someone was opening the lid to her pit.


	3. Chapter 3

Unfulfilled Desires

A/N: You all are just awesome! Thanks so much for reviewing and for reading! I wanted to throw a shout out to Sarah Rose 29, Jetredgirl (again :D), black-heart-green-eyes,and mearra for reading and letting me know how you like it! And of course for every chapter I'll be throwing out thanks to as many readers as I can! I just appreciate your support so much! 3 If anyone ever has a suggestion or question just let me know and I'll respond! So here we goooo!

Chapter 3: A Surprising Discovery

Sarah's heart skipped a beat as she listened to the movements above her. Was someone really coming to rescue her at last? Who had stumbled upon her prison? "Move aside you fools…I will get it…." Spoke the familiar voice again. It only took seconds, and the metal slab was literally flung off and Sarah was unsure as to where it landed. "Is someone down there?"

"Yes…." Sarah groaned, struggling to her feet. It didn't work very well because seconds later she fell to her knees and used her good arm to prop herself up. It was day, and the bright light from the sky was shining down into her prison. She saw several figures above her; a few were small, lumpish creatures…Goblins she realized. Two of the figures were men, and she immediately cringed. They could very well be her captors back for more torture. Something landed beside her and she shamefully made a sound of fright.

"…..Sarah?!" A voice said in obvious surprise and disbelief. "The hell is going on? How did you get here?" It was then, as Sarah slowly turned to the voice, that she realized why it was familiar. It belonged to the Goblin King. His blonde hair was still as crazy as ever, and his mismatched eyes were wide as he gazed at her beaten frame. Slowly he approached her, most likely trying not to frighten her, and he held out a hand. "Who did this to you, Sarah?" he cooed, a strange tightness could be heard from his voice. Sarah shook her head and groaned.

"No! You must leave, Jareth…It…It's a trap…" Sarah stammered eyes wide with fright. She had tried too hard to keep from calling him. If all of her pain and struggles had been for nothing, she was going to be very angry. "Please…they will kill you…" She whispered, but that only gained a laugh from Jareth and the goblins above her. Sarah's heart beat frantically with worry and her breathing came in labored intakes. She couldn't let it happen! Slowly she raised to her feet again, ignoring the sharp pains shooting up her leg. "You…go….go GO!" she cried out, eyes set in an angry glare. Her vision was becoming dim around the edges as she tried to convince him to leave. "I did not….did not withstand this….to have you caught…anyway…." Sarah gasped. Her pleads were short lived for she began to tilt forward, her eyes betraying her as they slid shut. The last thing she remembered was being gathered in strong arms and hearing a soft whisper that everything would be okay.

VVVVvvvVVVVVvvvvvVVVVVvvvvVV VVVvvvvVVVV

"Really now Hogpot….Being like that is not going to make the situation any better…" Jareth's voice grumbled softly nearby. Sarah knew she wasn't in the pit anymore, that much was obvious by the soft linens beneath her. She still ached all over, but despite that she tried not to make a sound as she lie awake. She didn't want them to know she woke up. "She is going to be perfectly fine….Nothing a little magic and some time cannot heal…." He continued. She heard a frustrated grumble and the soft jingling that she assumed was Hoggle's jewelry. "Get out of here…You will be notified when she is well….You are merely giving me a headache…."

Sarah wanted to listen to more, but sleep came over her again and she missed anything else that was said.

_She walked through the darkness, her hands outstretched in front of her as she moved. "Hello?" she called out, begging for anything to answer. Anything at all. Silence surrounded her and Sarah found herself running through the darkness. She had to find a way out, some way to get home. She wouldn't let the darkness have her. "Anybody here!?" she cried. Suddenly a light formed in front of her and she smiled. "YES!" She skidded to as stop as she entered the light, only to realize it wasn't a true light. It was a grey fog, one which held more dangers than the darkness ever had._

"_Sarah…" an eerie voice called from behind her. Sarah turned swiftly and shivered, there was nothing there "Sarah…You must kill the Goblin King…Take your rightful place as leader of the Goblin City…." The voice spoke in a calm, careful voice. "You are the Goblin Queen…you defeated the Labyrinth…you are the champion…." _

"_No…I don't want that….I just wanted my brother back….I won't kill anyone…." Sarah argued. The response was a sharp pain that worked it's way down her back. "Ah!" She fell to a knee and the voice returned again, ordering her to kill Jareth. "NO!" Another pain twisted around her body. _

VVVVvvvvvVVVVVvvvvvVVVvvvvVV VVVvvvvVVVVvvvVVVV

Sarah woke up with a frightful jump, the sheets pooling aroundher waist as she sat up, her chest heaving. "I won't!...I won't do it!" she whispered. A hand rested on her shoulder and she jumped. She was pushed onto her back gently and she almost instantly fell back asleep, but not before she caught a glimpse of Jareth above her.

This pattern continued for a while. Sarah would fall asleep and have frightening nightmares about killing Jareth, and then she would wake up to someone being in her room. It wasn't always Jareth, sometimes it was strangers, and she even thought she saw Ludo and Hoggle at one point. Another nightmare woke Sarah, but this time when she woke up, she remained awake. There was nobody there to push her back down and lull her into slumber. Sarah rolled her neck and groaned quietly. Her room was dark, which meant it was the middle of the night. The bed was large, with plush pillows and soft sheets that were a pretty burgundy color. The room itself was furnished with dark oak, and included a wardrobe, dresser, table, vanity, and chair. Quietly she stood from the bed and looked down at herself. She was wearing a black silk nightgown and matching robe. Who had changed her clothes while she was sleeping? She hoped it hadn't been Jareth, that would just be mortifying. A creaking sound made her turn and she only just then realized that Jareth had been asleep in the chair by her bed. "Goblin King-" Sarah said with a frown.

"Sarah…if you wanted to please me…you didn't have to wear such a revealing outfit….a dress would have sufficed wonderfully…"Jareth joked as he stood from the chair.

Her cheeks turned red and she shook her head, "Whaaat!" Sarah held up her hands, "I didn't put this on…I have no desire to please you!" Jareth moved in front of Sarah and grinned down at her, "What are you doing…"

"I was merely in here to see to your health, Sarah…But seeing as you are feeling better…I guess I'll take my leave…" Jareth still had a smug grin on his face as he turned and headed for the door. "If you need me…I'll be right down the hall…Goodnight Sarah…." A soft laugh left his lips and he waved over his shoulder a goodbye.

"Wha- Hey!" Sarah wrapped the robe tighter around herself as she watched Jareth leave. Had he been there just for her? Just to make sure she was okay? He didn't pause; he just left the room and quietly closed the door behind him, leaving Sarah alone with her thoughts.

A/N: Eh, this isn't my favorite chapter, but it throws in an introduction for Jareth. The next one I hope will be a little bit more exciting. :D


	4. Chapter 4

Unfulfilled Desires

A/N: Next Chapter! Yaaaay! What's going on with Sarah and her dreams? Hmmmm? Thanks again to Jetredigirl and mearra for their feedback, and to blueberi6 for your interest!

Chapter 4: Getting Acquainted

Sunlight filtered through pulled draperies as Sarah pulled herself out of slumber. "Jareth?" she murmured, looking around the room for a moment in case he had come back after she went back to bed. Even though she had slept so much before, she saw nothing else to do in the middle of the night but rest some more. So by morning Sarah felt fully rested and only suffered from the tight pull of the wounds on her back and a tender ache in her leg. It didn't exactly hurt, but just irritated her. She would have to make sure she thanked someone, most likely Jareth, for helping her get better so quickly. Remembering what was in her room she stood from the bed and moved towards the wardrobe, pulling it open to review the contents. Dresses, and a lot of them. Had someone already known she was coming, or was this someone else's room. "But these are all my size…" she mumbled quietly. Sarah moved to the dresser and found more clothes in her size, and then nearby in a closet were shoes that fit her perfectly. "What's this all about…" she grumbled. It was a little too coincidental that everything in the room was her size; even Sarah wasn't going to be naïve enough to believe they weren't meant for her specifically.

She sighed and headed back towards the dresser and then stopped. She couldn't wear a dress, not after what Jareth had said to her last night. Sarah frowned. With a shake of her head she moved back to the dresser and found a pair of black pants, which seemed a little tighter than she was used too and then a loose shirt. After digging up some undergarments, ones that were a little strange to her, she slipped the pants on with a grumble and slipped the shirt over her head. It was loose, and billowed around her waist and hips. The color was a creamy hue, and it had sleeves that fell to her elbows, and a swooping neckline. It was perfect because it left her enough room to not irritate what parts of her back were still healing. Before heading to the vanity she grabbed a pair of shoes, finding only one pair of shoes that were comfortable with her still tender leg. Whoever filled her closet seemed to like high heels.

Sarah brushed her hair, cursing softly under her breath every few strokes because of the knots that had worked their way through her hair. How long had it been since she had brushed it? She really didn't know, time was a blur after what she endured. Once she felt presentable she headed towards the bedroom door and opened it, peeking out into the hallway. She was definitely in the castle, the walls were stone and there were pretty tapestries over the walls. But as she stepped out she frowned, a chicken came flying by her door. "What…" she murmured. But then she remembered the chickens that all seemed to flock in his throne room. "Ew…"

She closed the door and then turned down the hall, sliding her hand along the wall as she explored the area. No more chickens flew by her, so she was hoping it just happened to be a fluke. No way did she want to be constantly surrounded by chickens. Her adventure didn't take her anywhere interesting at first, just a lot of different corridors with doors and windows, but after several turns and dead ends she heard some shouting from nearby. With deep rooted curiosity she followed the sound to a door that was cracked open. Inside she noticed the other man from when she was rescued and a few others she had never seen before.

"She cannot stay here?! She is probably a spy from another kingdom!" snapped one man. "Or she's just here to kill the King!"

"They wouldn't have beat her halfway to her grave if she was a spy for them!" argued the man she recognized. They all started to argue a little louder when she suddenly heard someone clear their throat behind her. Sarah turned slowly and held her breath until she saw it was just Jareth. With a relieved breath she stepped away from the door.

"Sarah…you need to be careful…" Jareth warned with a frown. He looked like he was in a horrible mood and the anger in his voice made her flinch. "You should not have left your room without an escort…"

Sarah shook her head, "Did you really expect me to just sit in my room and wait for someone to come find me?!" she snapped. Jareth grumbled and grabbed her shoulder, roughly pulling her away from the door and down the hallway. "Get off me…" she complained. He didn't oblige to her 'request' until they were far from the arguing men.

"It would not have been good for those men to have caught you eavesdropping…It would only further cause them to believe you are a spy…and then they would demand your execution…Is that what you want…?" Jareth growled. Sarah looked at him with a glare and then shook her head. "That is what I thought….Are you hungry?"

Surprised with the sudden change of subject she nodded slowly, only to be led farther down the halls until they reached a dining room, where food was spread out among a heavy wooden table. Jareth pulled out her chair for her and then helped her scoot in before taking a seat across from her. Sarah didn't say anything else as she grabbed some fruit and bread to nibble on, and neither did Jareth. It was a bit awkward considering other than the night before, the last time she saw him was when he had taken her brother from her. She tried her best to just ignore the awkward tension in her gut and just focus on eating, but that was when he finally decided to speak up. "What happened to you Sarah?" It was a rather simple question, but it was one that she really didn't want to answer. She looked down at her plate in silence and she heard his hand slam down on the table, shaking it for a moment. "Sarah- I must know! Tell me what happened to you! How did I come to find you in an oubliette, miles from my castle?!"

"A what?" After a moment she remembered her last time in the Underground and she shook her head. She knew what an oubliette was. "Never mind…I remember…" she grabbed a grape and rolled it around in her hand. "Jareth I don't want to talk about it…"

"Of all times to be a stubborn little girl! Do not choose right now!"

"I am not a stubborn little girl!" Sarah snapped, "I just don't want to talk about it!"

"Sarah either you tell me what happened….or it might happen again…"He reasoned. Sarah looked up at him when he said that and shook her head. "You don't want it to happen again do you?"

"Fine! Fine! Shut up!" she snapped, which got a startled look from Jareth. "Sorry…" Sarah grumbled and crossed her arms. "He came to my house…MY house…and kidnapped me…I didn't expect it at all…He caught me by surprise…" she murmured. "And when I woke up…I was in that…that oubliette or whatever…." Sarah popped the grape in her mouth and chewed it slowly. "They left me alone for awhile and then the demands began…" Sarah paused and looked at Jareth. "They told me to call for you…Call for the Goblin King they said…call for him so when he comes we can kill him…" She bit her lip and set her hands in her lap. "I don't know why they think you would have come for me…" she murmured.

"Because I would have Sarah…if you had called earlier I would have rescued you…." Jareth said softly.

"What- But….No…Why!?" Sarah wasn't sure why on earth he would come rescue her if she called. Last time she called for him all she did was make a big mistake. "Never mind that…." She held up a hand to stop him from explaining. "I don't care….point is that I didn't call for you….I wasn't going to call you into a trap…It would be wrong…They didn't like that though…Obviously…"

"They tortured you because you wouldn't call for me? Sarah..they would not have been able to hurt me….I would have saved you from a lot of pain…" Jareth growled.

"No…Are you seriously saying I should have called you into a trap? What if you had gotten hurt?" Sarah stood up and pushed away from the table, leaning over towards him. "Only a coward would put themselves before another like that!"

Jareth sighed and shook his head, "Did you get any names?" he asked. Sarah shook her head. "Alright…" He stood up and headed towards her, placing a hand on her arm. "I'm going to take you to the library….make sure you stay there until I come get you later..okay?"

"How long is later?" Sarah grumbled. Jareth laughed and shook his head, moving towards the door and pulling Sarah along with him. "How long!"

"Later…is later…I'm sure you'll find something to amuse yourself with…."

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Sarah stared around the library for several minutes after Jareth left. She was still pissed off at what he said in the dining hall, but she was more in awe at how many books he actually had. "This is awesome…." She murmured under her breath. The next several hours involved Sarah climbing the ladders to upper levels of books and climbing back down with dozens to surround herself with. Ever genre she could imagine, but few were from her world. That didn't make them any less interesting though, if anything it made them more interesting. She found herself a comfortable chair and surrounded herself with the books, reading through them at a fairly quick pace before going and grabbing more. Several hours after breakfast the door opened and a stranger walked in with a bright smile and a tray of food. "Hello?" Sarah greeted.

"Good afternoon, Miss Sarah….I've brought you some lunch…." The woman said cheerfully as she approached, setting the tray down on a table next to her. "Have a nice meal…." The woman then rushed out of the library before Sarah could ask her what her name was. She left a nice lunch though. Some fruit, a sandwich and some fruity smelling drink sat beside her.

She ate at a leisurely pace and then sipped at the drink she soon realized was alcohol. A strong one at that. By the time she finished it she was a little more than tipsy. Giggles soon erupted from her as she read more books and before she knew it the sun had gone down and the alcohol was slowly wearing off. At least until the woman returned with her dinner and sure enough…more alcohol. "Thanks!" Sarah called before she dug into her dinner.

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"Sarah…I've come to escort you to your room…" Jareth announced as he opened the door to the library. Sarah was sitting with a goofy smile on her face in her little nook. "Sarah?"

"Hmmmmmm?" she mused, rising to her feet and stumbling slightly.

"Are you…drunk?"Jareth said with a smile. Sarah nodded slowly and laughed to herself, clutching a book to her chest. "Oh dear…I told her not to give you alcohol…" he shook his head and reached out to grab Sarah as she stumbled over an uneven part of carpet. "Bed it is…." He said with a frown as he tugged her along out of the library and down the hallway. Sarah followed happily until they reached her room and she struggled a thought through her hazy stupor.

"Jareth….I…can call you that….right?" she mumbled.

"That is my name…." he replied with a frown.

"Well…you're…a King…I don't…"

"Sarah…you may call me whatever pleases you…" he said with a shake of his head. "I will not be picky…"

"Can I go home?" she whispered suddenly, her eyes hopeful and her gaze set on his face as he stood before her doorway. "I've been gone for at least a week now…I need….need to work…." She mumbled.

"Sarah- You've been gone for longer than that…You were knocked out with us for a week alone….I don't know how long you were with those men…." Jareth said softly.

"W-what?!" Sarah stammered, eyes wide. "Jareth…I have to leave…."she said again.

"Sarah…no. You cannot go home…"

"Jareth! You can't keep me here! That's just as bad as the others!" She complained, her wits returning to her as her anger grew. Jareth suddenly looked furious and he opened her door and shoved her inside.

"Just as bad as the others? Sarah you've no idea how bad it could be…You would be dead had I not found you…You cannot leave…That is final…." He shouted, slamming the door as he left Sarah alone in her room.


	5. Chapter 5

Unfulfilled Desires

A/N: Ahh Labyrinth Addict! I love your stories, so glad you like mine! If anyone wants awesome stories go check theirs out!

Chapter 5: Close Call

The pain swarmed in Sarah's chest. She was stuck, but for how long? Would Jareth force her to stay in the castle with him forever? Would she ever get to go home, or was it just going to be until she was safe to return home? Knowing Jareth he would probably try to turn her into a goblin! Just like he wanted to do to her brother! Sarah stifled a sob as she turned towards the bed. "No…I'm not going to put up with this!" She sat down on the side of them bed and frowned when she realized that she was crying. A hand lifted to her cheek and she wiped the tears away as she brainstormed some idea on how to get out of Jareth's castle. She would just have to wait until he fell asleep and then slip out and try to find her way outside. If she could make it through the labyrinth then she could find the front door.

A grin passed over her lips before the sound of footsteps made her jump. Was Jareth coming back? She quickly laid down on the bed and pretended to be sleeping, and after a few moments she heard the door slowly creak open. "Sarah?" came a quiet whisper. It was Jareth. She didn't respond, she just wanted him to leave her alone right now. But he did the complete opposite, he closed the door and she soon felt the bed sink as he sat down beside her. Sarah remained silent and kept her breathing even as she waited for him to do something.

"I would have come for you Sarah…in a heartbeat….you foolish girl…I stopped visiting you years ago….I don't understand why they would still go after you…." He whispered to himself. "After you refused me when you were young…I almost couldn't stand the loneliness….It made me weak…so I stopped coming to sit in the trees by your father's house…I got stronger…but not as strong as I needed to be…" he cursed quietly. "They knew you would be my weakness…ever since you beat me at my own games….you've always been my weakness…" he placed a gloved hand on her arm and sighed. "If only I could wish you away to another world…I will keep you safe Sarah…." Jareth slowly stood and exited Sarah's room, leaving her in a depressed state.

"He cares…" she whispered as she sat up, resting her hand where his had been moments before.

The rest of the night was not spent trying to escape the castle, but instead Sarah lay awake, staring at the high ceilings of her room. If she left the castle now, Jareth would beat himself up over it and he would feel even worse about what had happened already. Did he blame himself for her kidnapping? Part of her wanted to not care about his feelings. She was still holding a grudge about Toby and her last adventure in the labyrinth, but another part of her only wanted to ease his fears and pain. "Damn it Sarah…" she growled as she rolled over and stuffed her face in a pillow. Sleep finally overcame her moments before the sun rose, and only an hour before a knock sounded at her door.

Sarah groaned and rolled over into a bright ray of sun, causing her to roll swiftly away and fall back off the bed, hitting the floor with a loud thump. The door opened quickly and Jareth stood in the doorway with worry creasing his brow. When he discovered the source of the thump he just laughed. "Sarah…you appear as if you have not slept at all….Stay awake all night thinking about me, did you?" he teased, placing a hand on his hip and leaning on the archway of the door.

"Hardly…." Sarah grumbled, slowly rising from the floor and brushing her clothes off. She had never changed into bed clothes and her clothes from the day before were a wrinkled mess.

"A bath awaits you Sarah…relax…today will be one of pampering to get yourself rejuvenated from your injuries…" Jareth told her with a smile. "Go on…unless of course you'd like me to join you…?" he suggested with a toothy grin.

Sarah looked at him with an open mouthed gasp, "Jareth! Go away!" She felt her cheeks flare up with heat as she looked towards the bathroom door. "Nobody has been in here….how is there a bath waiting…." She walked to the bathroom door and glanced in, and sure enough a steaming bath sat waiting for her. "How?" she turned back towards Jareth only to find he wasn't there anymore. "Jareth?" she called, but he didn't answer. He really needed to stop just walking out on her, it was rude! With a shake of her head, Sarah headed into the bathroom and closed the door. The room smelled like something…fruity. Peach? Of course it was peach, she rolled her eyes and slipped out of the clothes, finding it a little hard to get the pants off by herself. She could just hear the smart ass comment that Jareth would say to that.

Closer inspection revealed that not only did the bath have peach scented oils but also rose petals were floating a top the water. "Wow…" Sarah murmured as she dipped her toe in the large bathtub, the water was so warm that she audibly groaned. "Awesome…" She slipped the rest of the way into bath and sunk until it touched her chin. "Thank you Jareth…" she mumbled, closing her eyes. The water wrapped around Sarah like a warm blanket and made her feel comforted and safe again. In the moments that she soaked in the water she didn't want to leave, all she wanted to do was remain in that safe and cozy cocoon. "Mmmm…."

Soon her mind began to slip and sleep started to beckon her, but she tried to stay awake. It was dangerous to fall asleep in the bath, she could drown. But nothing she did could bring her back to wakefulness, she couldn't even will herself to get up. When sleep finally overcame her she felt like she was falling.

"_Sarah…." Whispered a voice in her ear. "Sarah….why have you not taken your revenge on Jareth?" Sarah looked around and felt as if she were floating in a black void. "Sarah he deserves death…he took your brother from you…it is his fault you are here again…all because of him…Don't you want to go home, Sarah?" The voice was very convincing, but Sarah shook her head._

"_No…I don't want revenge…Shut up…"But as she spoke the words, her lungs tightened in her chest and she started to choke. "S-Stop…" she gasped. _

"_SARAH! SARAH!" a voice screamed in the void. "NO! SARAH!" She continued to struggle for air as she looked around for the voice. Who was it? It was Jareth. "Breathe Sarah!"_

Sarah woke up coughing and gasping for air, eyes wide and her vision blurry. Her chest ached and her body felt heavy as she lie on the floor. The floor? Hadn't she been in the bathtub? When her vision finally came back she saw Jareth above her, his brow furrowed and eyes fearful. But the thing that worried her in that moment was if she was naked. Sarah groaned and looked down to see that, yes, she was naked. "Out!" she coughed, "O-Out!" she shoved him and another round of coughing began. He looked irritated by her sudden demand but he stood up and walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Sarah remained on the floor and tried to remember what happened. She had fallen asleep in the bathtub hadn't she? "Oh God…" she croaked as she shakily stood to her feet and grabbed a towel. Wrapping it around herself she walked back out to her bedroom and saw Jareth waiting on her bed. "Sorry…." She whispered.

"Sarah what happened? I called for you and I heard nothing….I continued to get an answer from you before I entered and I see you unconscious underwater?!" he stood up and walked to her side swiftly, using a gloved hand to usher her to the bed to sit down. "Can I not even allow you to bathe without an escort?!"

"Jareth! I…I was tired! I don't know what happened…." She murmured with a frown. "It was like I just couldn't get up…I just…fell asleep…." She whispered. He had pulled her out of the water? She looked down at her lap and blushed.

"Get dressed Sarah…I'll have someone bring your breakfast…Rest….Just don't kill yourself!" Jareth snapped as he left the room.

"Jareth?" Sarah stood up as he left and watched as he slammed the door behind him. The nightmare suddenly flared up inside of her mind and she imagined herself driving a knife through his back as he walked away from her. With a mortified gasp she sat down and wrapped her arms around herself, her black hair sticking to her skin. "No…" she shook her head and shivered. She could never do something like that.

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Sarah did rest after she got dressed, she ate and she waited to see if Jareth would come back into the room. He didn't. At about mid-day a knock did come at the door and she called out for them to enter. The man who was there when Jareth found her entered the room with a friendly smile. "Hello Miss Sarah….My name is Kaleb…I came by to check on you…"

"Oh….well I'm fine…"Sarah said with a small smile. "You…you were there the day Jareth found me…weren't you?"

"Yes I was…It was a surprise to find you down there…I'm glad we found you when we did Sarah…I'm not sure how much longer you would have lasted with those people…" Kaleb said with a sad expression on his face. "Sarah…I'm worried that you haven't told us everything that happened to you…Even the smallest detail could make a big difference in your safety…." He grabbed the chair near her bed and pulled it closer.

"Details….Kaleb…I…I don't know what else I could say…" Sarah said, voice becoming slightly irritated.

"Any details about the men who took you….what did they do exactly….some characteristic," Kaleb urged.

Sarah sat quietly for several moments, trying to figure out something that could help out Jareth and Kaleb. Something that would help keep Jareth safe from his enemies. "I did find one thing weird….When I got home that first night…the man….he had magic…I think…" She frowned.

"Go on…"

"I tried to run away but then I felt all of my limbs freeze….I couldn't move at all…and then he threw me without even touching me…." Sarah winced at the memory and looked at Kaleb. "Does that help any?"

"That helps a lot Sarah….not many of the humans in this world can use magic….most can't actually…because you told me that I can narrow our search down a lot…." Kaleb encouraged.

"His eyes were so dark….I think they were brown…but they were so close to black…." Her voice wavered slightly at the memory but she set her jaw and a determined look grew in her eyes. "He was so determined to kill Jareth….but he never said why…."

"We are going to figure this out, Sarah….Don't worry….Get some more rest…I heard you had a rough morning…." Kaleb stood up and headed towards the door. Right before he grabbed the handle, Sarah called out to him, "Yes?"

"When I was bathing…I felt something…something kept me in the water….I wanted to get up…I knew it wasn't safe to stay in the bath while I was sleepy….but I couldn't…couldn't get up at all…." Sarah said, watching Kaleb closely. "

"Thank you Sarah….that will help a lot…" Kaleb then left, but Sarah could see the worried glint in his eyes before he closed the door. That worried Sarah a lot more than anything so far that had happened to her.


	6. Chapter 6

Unfulfilled Desires

A/N: Just a friendly hello and another thank you for all those that are reading and supporting this story.

Chapter 6: Emotions Revealed

Sarah had been alone for the few days after her accident in the bathtub, and she wondered where Jareth was. Was he that mad at her that he didn't even want to see her? Had had seemed pretty shaken up by the entire occurrence. She felt bad that it was her causing him stress. She stood up from the bed in her room, tossing one of the books she was reading to the side as she moved to her wardrobe. Over the course of her stay she had come to find out the clothes were picked out just for her, by Jareth. He came to realize she was in too much danger to return home and made sure she had plenty to choose from.

With a small smile she dug through the wardrobe until she found a purple dress, it had a swooping neckline and hugged her torso until it hit her waist, where it then became flowing to the floor. The sleeves were made of lace and her pale skin contrasted nicely beneath them. Once she got dressed for the day she sat back on the bed to brush her hair. One thing that she found interesting about Jareth's world was that all the women she had seen tended to wear dresses unless they were doing manual labor, in which case the wore something with tight pants and a loose top. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, she wasn't used to wearing dresses all the time, at least not since she gave up her dreams of being an actress.

A knock on the door startled her and she looked up, "Come in…" In walked Jareth and he looked a little peeved. "Well if it isn't the Goblin King…where have you been? Off stealing other babies?" she asked with a frown. It was a little mean of her, especially after he had saved her life twice, but she was still upset he hadn't come to visit since he saved her. A flash of anger passed through his eyes and he cleared his throat gently. "What nothing to say?"

"Sarah—you are being rude," he mused with a small smirk. "Quiet your tongue and maybe then I will speak," he bit back in retort. Sarah frowned and set her brush down. "I see you are wearing one of your dresses…I specifically liked that one…Purple is thought to make green eyes even more beautiful…Seems it is true….."

Sarah bit her lip and looked at her lap. "What do you want, Jareth?" she asked with a sigh.

"I came to talk to you…." He said easily. He moved to the side of her bed and held out a hand, "Shall we go to the gardens?" he questioned. Sarah shrugged and stood up. The walk through the castle was silent, which made Sarah a little uneasy, but she tried to keep it from being too awkward. She made sure she remembered what turns they made and when so she would get more familiar with the castle. It was annoying that she only knew where the dining hall, her room, and the library was. As she thought back through the path they had taken she missed when they actually stepped into the center of the garden. When she came back to her senses she looked in front of her to find a small table and chairs set up with snacks and tea.

"What…a tea party?" She said with an amused laugh. Jareth frowned and pulled her chair out, letting her sit down before he sat across from her. "What's this about, Jareth?"

"I cannot simply set up some refreshments for my guest?" he questioned as he grabbed a grape from the food display. She rolled her eyes and started to pick up a few bits of fruit to place on the small plate in front of her. "I have not heard of any more near death experiences in the past few days….which is good…." He teased.

"Yea…yea….get it out of your system now…"

"Whatever are you talking about, Sarah?"Jareth asked innocently.

"You have to tease me and pull your little jokes out first….I get it…so go on…"Sarah made a motion with her hand and then waited for more.

"Well…no more for right now…Sarah… " Jareth looked up at the sky and Sarah got a suddenly uneasy feeling in her stomach.

"Jareth…what's going on…."

"It has been bothering me for some time now….Ever since you told me that you didn't believe I would come for you…Sarah…." He paused and looked at her with those brilliant eyes, "Did you believe me to not care for you?" Sarah was taken by surprise and her lips parted, but no words escaped her. "I would not have asked you to stay with me before….when you were young…If I had not cared for you…It broke my heart when you pushed me away…." He frowned and Sarah had the dignity to close her mouth, "There has not been a moment since you left those years ago, that I have not wondered about your well-being….or wondered what life would be like if you had remained by my side…"

"Jareth I was only fourteen!" Sarah said suddenly.

He laughed, "Sarah I would not have ravaged you the moment night fell upon your bed…I am not the type of man…you would have merely been a much loved companion….one that I cared for deeply…If things changed as you matured….so be it….But I was not looking for skin and passion….I was looking for the heart and wits that you held within…." He sighed and looked away from Sarah for a moment. "When I found you here….my heart broke to see your pain….but I was so hopeful that for a moment maybe you had come back for me…." He laughed, "A foolish thought…."

"Jareth…I never did forget you…even after I stopped seeing you in the trees…it made me a little sad when you disappeared…." Sarah said honestly, "There were moments when I thought about calling for you to come back….but I could never voice them…I thought you hated me for beating your game…"

Jareth shook his head and settled wide eyes on Sarah, "Sarah….never in my time of knowing you have I hated you….." he murmured, "If anything….over the years that I've seen you mature…with your intelligence, your beauty, your will to fight on…and your courage….I've come to….to love you…."Jareth said seriously.

Sarah stared at Jareth with wide eyes and shook her head, "J-Jareth…." She said nervously. "You can't say that…."

"But Sarah…."

Sarah stood up, "No!"

"What is it repulsive?" He snapped, standing up as well and glaring at her, "I open up to you and all you have to say is no?" He growled. "Am I too much of a monster to be capable of caring for someone? Is that it?" He reached out and grabbed Sarah's arm roughly. "Or do you just prefer the humans back home? Those pig headed men you've let follow you around like ducklings…." His grip on her arm became painfully tight and Sarah gasped and tried to pull from his grasp.

"That hurts…."she complained, looking at him with frightful eyes. He suddenly released her and she fell back into her chair with the sudden force and then he turned and stormed off. Sarah watched him go and rubbed her arm gently. "Jareth…" she whispered, looking down at her untouched plate in despair. She hadn't meant it like that, not the way he thought she did. She didn't find him to be a monster, not anymore at least. But he couldn't say he loved her, he didn't know her…or at least…she didn't know him. How could you love someone that you barely know? She didn't have any magical crystals to peek into his life over the years.

With a numbness settling into her chest she stood from the small table and headed back to the castle, her feet shuffling softly across the ground, and then the floor as she entered the halls. Now he probably did hate her. Sarah felt the tear slide down her cheek just as she got to her bedroom door. Somehow she had walked back to her room without even thinking about it, which was good. It meant some part of her remembered the layout of the halls. She entered and immediately walked to the bed, where she laid down.

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It was hours later, long after both lunch and dinner had been offered and turned away, that Sarah heard another knock on her door. "Go away…." She groaned, stuffing her face in a pillow. She was just angry now. Angry that she was stuck in the castle, away from her family, and angry that some stupid Goblin King could so easily make her feel bad about her actions. The person at the door didn't listen, which should have been the first clue that it was Jareth. He entered and closed the door quietly behind him.

"How is your arm….?" He asked softly. Sarah turned over and looked at her arm, which was turning a light bruised color. "I am sorry, Sarah….I did not mean to hurt you…."

"Yea….well maybe you should have thought about that first…instead of now…." Sarah grumbled, sitting up on the bed and glaring at him. He slowly approached her and she looked away. "What do you want now?"

"Sarah….I apologize for how things went earlier-"

"No…shut up…..I mean…Let me talk first…." She insisted, "I didn't mean no the way you think….I just meant…..you can't say you love me….I don't really know you Jareth….I didn't have the chance to watch you over the years….You might know how my life formed…but I don't know anything about you but the fact that you have magic, and that you're a sarcastic jerk sometimes…."

Jareth looked amused for a moment and nodded, "I can understand that, Sarah….which brings me to why I am here…." He sat beside her on the bed and reached out to take her hand gently in his, "Will you give me the honor of courting you?"

"Courting me?" she questioned, "You mean….like date?"

"I do believe that is your worlds equivalent…." He said with a nod, "it would give you the chance to get to know me….I lost you once Sarah…I would not survive a second time…." He explained honestly.

Sarah thought about it for a few minutes and couldn't come up with a good reason to say no. With a sigh she nodded,"Okay…..but…no funny business…."


	7. Chapter 7

Unfulfilled Desires

Chapter 7: Tied Together

A/N: Sorry for the lack of update this past week. I started back in my semester for school and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find time and inspiration for writing. Why do I always get inspiration right before the semester starts? Ugh. I thank you all for your patience, and I'm going to try really hard to at least get one chapter a week, at the VERY least a month. I've lost a lot of inspiration for my other stories and I want to get back to them as well, but I'm going to try and finish this one first. If anyone has any helpful tips for keeping your creative and inspirational moods shoot me a message- I need heeelp. Haha. But anyway...here goes nothing. As always, reviews are much appreciated.

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Sarah woke with a start, her eyes searching her room for the cause of her abrupt entrance into the waking world. The bedroom was empty though she felt like it hadn't been only moments before she awoke. With a frown and a furrowed brow she leaned back down onto her pillow and reached an arm out across the bed, feeling the empty spot beside her. It was warm. Had there been something else in the room? She shivered and inwardly hoped it had been Jareth who snuck into her room amidst the middle of the night. The thought of sharing her bed with Jareth made her skin warm and her cheeks fill with a rosy flush.

A knock pulled her from her thoughts and she looked across the room at the door, "Yes?" she called softly. The door swung open and Jareth stepped in with a smile on his lips. "What do you need, Jareth?" asked Sarah with a raise of her brow.

"I came to tell you breakfast is ready whenever you are- and you have some...hmm...visitors awaiting you as well.." he chuckled quietly and then gave her a small bow before disappearing behind the closing door. Sarah slid to the side of the bed and then stood up, swiftly moving to her wardrobe to find something to wear. Who on earth would be waiting for her? Was it? No- it couldn't be. An excited giggle left her lips as she grabbed a pair of tight black pants and a emerald colored shirt that would wrap around her loosely. She finished the outfit with a pair of tan leather boots that ended just below her knee. As soon as she brushed her hair and took care of some other hygienic necessities she rushed from the room to find Jareth waiting outside the door. "You dressed fairly quickly...either you are starving...or you would like to know who awaits you..." Jareth teased with a grin.

Sarah rolled her eyes and stepped past him, walking swiftly down the hall in order to ignore him better. He laughed quietly behind her and followed just as swiftly to keep up with her. Though she acted as if he annoyed her, Sarah actually had become mildly comforted by Jareth's constant teasing. It made her smile, inside at the very least. She couldn't have him think he was winning her over too quickly now could she? The dining hall came into view and Jareth stepped in front of Sarah in order to open the door for her. "Let me get that for you..."

She laughed quietly and shook her head, pushing past him and not meeting eye contact. When she stepped into the room however she let her mouth drop open and her eyes pop open wide. "YOU GUYS!" she screamed as she threw her arms up and rushed across the floor and into the arms of her friends. Ludo, Sir Didymus, and Hoggle all awaited her and eagerly hugged her back. "I missed you all so much! How did you know I was here?"

"Jareth told us yous was here and that you was recovered...He invited us to come visit..." said Hoggle as he rubbed his arm nervously. Sarah turned to look over her shoulder to smile at Jareth who was leaning back against the dining hall wall. "Sarah- eat...breakfast is gettin' cold..." Hoggle said with a grumble. Sarah laughed softly, missing his slightly grumpy composure. She looked away from Jareth, thinking she almost saw him look embarrassed at Hoggle's explanation. The Goblin King embarrassed? No way! Sarah shook her head and sat down at the table to start eating the arrangement of food. The kitchen staff made peach oatmeal, of course, some melt in your mouth biscuits, and had a fresh bowl of fruit waiting for her to devour. Which she did happily.

Breakfast went smoothly, she remained in the dining hall with her friends for a few hours after they all finished eating. They joked, and played around after Jareth left for his throne room, and even moved to help the kitchen staff clean up and get ready for lunch. Sarah wasn't really that hungry after eating so much for breakfast, but she still helped make some food for everyone else. It was a little after lunch when her friends finally said they had to leave her for home and she frowned. "Visit again soon you guys..." she said with a sigh.

"Saawaah. Luudoo wiiill..." Ludo said in his low grumble as he grabbed her in a bear hug. Sir Didymus made her laugh as he promised her he would do his duty and return to her soon, and then Hoggle stood shyly a few feet away and said he'd come back next time he had time.

"Bye you guys," Sarah said as she hugged each one and then left them. She quietly thought about what she should do next and decided to go search for Jareth in the throne room. It didn't take her long to find her way to the circular room, mostly because of the sound of goblins within it. She cracked the door open and laughed as she saw Jareth trying to wrestle the goblins out of another door. "Need some help?" she commented as she stood a few feet inside the room. Jareth stopped what he was doing and looked at her with a surprised expression on his face. "What?"

"I just didn't expect you to come find me..." he said with a frown. The goblins snickered and ran over to Sarah, dancing around her legs and pushing her further into the room. She laughed softly and then stopped when she looked up and saw they had pushed her extremely close to Jareth, who was suddenly looking at her with great intensity burning behind his eyes. "All of you get out of here!" he grumbled to the goblins, pushing a few away from him with his foot. They all started to cackle but did as they were told and stumbled out of the throne room, leaving it suddenly silent and more intimate then Sarah thought she was comfortable with. "Sarah-"

Sarah looked down at her boots and bit her lip, "Jareth..." He reached down and grabbed her chin, pulling her up to look at him. He shook his head and his arms were around her, pulling her against his chest and holding her close.

"Sarah...I don't want anything to happen to you...ever...since you arrived I haven't been able to think straight...or stop thinking about you...I...I must confess that I snuck into your room last night...you were having a nightmare..." he whispered, "I sat beside you and pressed a hand to your forehead and you quieted down...so I stayed...when you awoke I had just left..." He looked guilty as he pulled away from Sarah. "I'm sorry..."

"Jareth...I know I said some things last night...about not knowing you...but...as I thought about it more...I feel like I do know you...deep down..." Sarah struggled for the right words and sighed, "I feel like we've always been connected, ever since my first visit...I never forgot you...I never could force myself to stop thinking about what could have happened if I stayed with you...Jareth..." She cleared her throat, "As stupid as this sounds...I feel like I was meant to come back here..."

He looked surprised when she said that and watched her for a moment in silence. "Sarah...you don't have to say anything in return...but I believe...you to be my soul mate..." his voice ended in a whisper and he stared in her eyes. Sarah kept her gaze locked with him and leaned forward against his chest, rising on her toes to press a kiss to his lips. A warmth and comfort spread like a wild fire through Sarah's body and she melted against Jareth as he kissed her back. It was a soft kiss but it was filled with so much emotion that when she pulled away she was panting heavily. "Sarah...there is to be a ball soon...would you honor me and allow me to be your escort..?" Jareth asked softy.

She smiled and nodded, "I wouldn't want anyone else to have the honor..."

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The next few days went smoothly. Jareth and Sarah spent a good portion of each day with each other, walking the gardens, and getting to know the finer details about one another. Sarah even convinced the great Goblin King to pick up a pot and cook a meal with her. He introduced her to a few more people like himself, fey, but none of them had magic. Magic was rare, which Sarah still thought was odd. The day of the ball came and Sarah awaited the arrival of one of Jareth's close friends, a woman named Melody. She was beautiful, which made Sarah uncomfortable at first, but Jareth assured her that Melody was very much in love with Kaleb. Melody had long red hair that fell to her hips, and her skin was as pale as the moon, creating a beautiful contrast. She had the strangest yellow eyes as well, and Sarah assumed that was due to her fey heritage.

The door opened and Sarah jumped up from her bed as Melody danced in with a dress in her hand. "Ready darling Sarah?" spoke Melody softly. Her voice was beautiful, always filled with warmth and excitement, and it made Sarah relax some of her nervous jitters to just hear it. "Do not fret...I will make you shine brighter than anyone else at the ball..." Sarah nodded and let Melody fuss over her for the next few hours. Her hair was curled into beautiful black ringlets around her shoulders, jewels placed here and there to make it sparkle, and her make-up was done to accent her green eyes, bringing out the color in a bold look. "Now it's time for the dress!"

Sarah turned as Melody revealed the dress to her. Her heart stopped for a moment. It reminded her of the dress she wore when she was last in the Labyrinth, the color and basic design was the same, but the fit and cut of it were more fit for her age. It revealed more skin than her previous gown, but it was still blatantly obvious what the dress was based off of. The gown was strapless now, keeping her shoulders bare as it scooped into a heart neckline. The gowns bodice was covered in jewels and lace, with the back of the gown being a laced up corset. From the waist down the gown puffed out around her in the same beautiful creamy gold color. "This is amazing!" Sarah exclaimed, moving towards it so Melody could slip her into the piece of art she would be wearing for Jareth. "Did he pick this out?"

"He had it specially made...Said it would hold some significance to you?" Melody said with a wink. Sarah blushed as the woman started to lace up the dress. Jareth had remembered the dress she wore for him in the dream. When Melody finished lacing her up she gave Sarah a small hug and smiled, "Now get yourself relaxed...the ball won't start for another thirty minutes..." With that she left the room and let Sarah think over her relationship with Jareth. Sarah sighed and walked to the window of her room, gazing down into the garden, where the setting sun was casting a warm glow over the frosted bushes. The ball was in honor of the coming winter season for the Underground, so most of the flowers that were in blood when she first arrived were wilted and gone from the gardens.

Before Sarah could turn her back to the window she saw a figure down in the garden. "Jareth?" she murmured softly. She smiled as she saw him pace the gardens alone. Was he as nervous as she was? With a small laugh she headed from her bedroom to go to the gardens and meet him. They needed to be with each other before the ball, that way they weren't nervous as they met in front of the other guests. Her dress moved around her comfortably, and she was amazed that such an extravagant piece could also be so comfortable.

The door to the outside came into view and Sarah became more eager to get to Jareth's side. She opened the door and stepped outside, shivering a bit at the cold air that bit at her shoulders. She closed the door and walked into the quickly darkening garden, where could he have gone? It didn't take her long to get down from her room, he couldn't have left already. She turned a corner to the center of the garden and found herself to be completely alone- at least until the hand clamped over her mouth and pulled her backwards against a hard chest. Her eyes went wide and she struggled against the body that held her immobile. Something in her gut told her that it wasn't Jareth that held her.

A/N: I apologize for any errors in spelling or grammar. I rushed to get this up between classes and didn't have time to read over it. I'll read over it later and if necessary update the chapter with a new upload.


	8. Chapter 8

Desires Unfulfilled

Chapter 8: Not Again!

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating.

Sarah squirmed and pushed against her captor, but nothing she did loosened the grip he had on her. Was this it? Was it the men who kidnapped her? Were they finally back to kill her and silence her for good? She shivered at the thought and continued to struggle. Finally on the outskirts of the garden, where they would be alone, the man pushed her away with a grunt. "Damn you bitch…always being so fussy…." The man growled. Sarah wrapped her arms around herself and looked around.

"What do you want?!" she demanded as she eyed up the three men before her. She recognized them all, two were from her imprisonment and one was the man who broke into her house. He was the ring leader; the man with the magic. "If you're here to make me kill Jareth-I won't do it! I already told you…." She snapped. "It's you! You're the one who has been messing with my dreams?!" she pointed at the man and frowned. The voice who kept sneaking into her slumber, the one that made her fall asleep in the bath tub, the one who was trying so hard to mess with her head. He was doing it. Nobody else had the magic to do it.

He laughed quietly, his dark eyes gleaming in the dim light of the evening. "Ahh Sarah, so smart you are….But you are wrong- You will kill Jareth and you will do it tonight!" he snapped. "You have no choice this time...Either kill Jareth or I will kill you…" his voice was dripping with promise and she knew he would do it. He would kill her.

"Jareth will not let you hurt me….He is more powerful then all of you!" Sarah was confident in that, at least until a sharp pain formed in her chest and she fell to her knees before the men. The pain grabbed at her lungs, the air being sucked out of her and leaving her to gasp and beg for air.

"I have more magic then you could even know, little Sarah…If you try to tell him of the plan….or refuse to kill him when the magic lifts your hand- I will kill you….There are always other ways to get things done…using you is just so much simpler…." He shrugged and the pain dulled in Sarah's chest, leaving her gasping for air. "So? What do you say, human?" The nameless man was staring down at her, awaiting her answer. What could she do? She had to agree to his terms or she wouldn't even see Jareth again to warn him.

"I'll do it…" she whispered. The men all grinned and pulled her to her feet. A knife was slid into a sheath and place on a holster at her thigh. She would have to bend over and grab it before she could kill him.

"In you go, human…you have a job to do…" the men pushed her towards the castle doors and she felt her body tense with fear. What was she going to do!?

VVVVvvvvvVVVVVVvvvvvVVVVVvvvvvVVVV

Once inside the house she was trembling with fear as Melody came across her in the hall. "Sarah!" she cried out, "You've got dirt on you…" she leaned down and brushed the dirt off of Sarah's dress and then stood back up with a smile. "What is wrong? Don't be so nervous…" she encouraged. "tonight will be wonderful!"

Sarah nodded slowly and let the woman lead her towards the ball room. "Melody…I-" a sharp pain stabbed her in the gut and she gasped, but closed her mouth, "Never mind…" she whispered. Melody looked at her questionably and then shrugged it off. The doors to the ballroom opened and Sarah took a deep breath. She smiled as she saw Jareth waiting for her, his hand held out to take hers. His eyes were on her and her alone and Sarah's heart swelled. She was going to die, but it would be to save his life. Never would Sarah try to kill him. She loved him. "Jareth…" she whispered as she took his hand and he swept her into a sweet embrace. "I love you….I love you so much…." She murmured.

Jareth smiled a breathtaking smile at her and lowered his lips to kiss her, his arms wrapping around her waist. The room cheered in happiness that their King had found himself a match, but inside Sarah was crying. She felt her muscles twitch and she frowned. Her hand was moving on it's own. Magic. She spun away from Jareth with a fake laugh and headed away from him. The monsters were trying to control her. They knew she wouldn't do it, but they were still trying to force her to do it before they killed her. "Damn them…" she whispered as she grabbed a glass of wine from a server. Jareth approached her after several minutes of mingling with his guests, his eyes lit up.

"Dance with me, Sarah….this ball is a celebration and I want to share it with you…." He reached for the wine glass and set it aside, taking her hands in his to drag her onto the dance floor. Sarah struggled a bit to get away, something that Jareth noticed, making him frown. "Do not be nervous, Sarah…" he cooed, pulling her into the sweeping moves of the current dance. She was stiff as they danced, a small smile on her lips and pain clear in her eyes. What was she going to do? She had to warn him, no matter how much pain it caused her. But for a little while longer she had to fight the influence of the magic and enjoy the ball. Enjoy her last moments with Jareth, her King, her love.

She pulled closer to Jareth as the music slowed and snuggled against him, pressing a kiss to his lips. She didn't let a single dance pass them by, any moment to touch him she did. But as the night died down she felt a stiffness in her chest and knew it was time. Sarah danced them to the corner of the room and took Jareth's hand, squeezing it tightly. "Jareth-" the pain tightened in her chest. How did he know she was going to tell him? The men had to be watching from somewhere! But where?

"I'm-" she lifted her other hand to her chest and her breathing became heavier, "being co-" she gasped and almost fell but held onto Jareth to keep herself standing.

"Sarah what is going on! What's wrong?" he questioned, his eyes wide with worry.

"I'm being controlled….magic-" she cried out and fell, "They're here…want me to….kill…you…" she struggled as Jareth held her against his chest on the floor. He knelt beside her, the rest of the ballroom silenced as he looked around with a glare. She reached for her leg and pulled her dress up and revealed the knife to Jareth, "Get it away…" she groaned. He grabbed the knife and slid it away from her, Kaleb picked up the knife and quickly approached the two on the floor.

"Kaleb….we have company…." Jareth growled.


	9. Chapter 9

Unfulfilled Desires  
Chapter 9

A/N: I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I haven't been giving this fic nearly enough effort as I should have. I started it with so much eagerness and now I'm giving it half-hearted updates. So starting with this update-I hope things get a lot better for you all! Maybe not this one…but…regardless I'm going to start trying again.

_"Sarah what is going on! What's wrong?" he questioned, his eyes wide with worry._

_"I'm being controlled….magic-" she cried out and fell, "They're here…want me to….kill…you…" she struggled as Jareth held her against his chest on the floor. He knelt beside her, the rest of the ballroom silenced as he looked around with a glare. She reached for her leg and pulled her dress up and revealed the knife to Jareth, "Get it away…" she groaned. He grabbed the knife and slid it away from her, Kaleb picked up the knife and quickly approached the two on the floor._

_"Kaleb….we have company…." Jareth growled._

VVVVVvvvvvvVVVVVVvvvvvvvVVVVVVvvvvvvVVVVVV

"Sarah…Relax…don't strain yourself…." Jareth murmured as he laid her back against the ballroom's wall, below the large window that displayed the kingdom around the castle. She laid there quietly, her eyes pressed closed and her jaw firmly set. The ballroom was silent, all of the guests fearful in what was happening to their King and their Champion. Pale faces stared with wide eyes and trembling lips as they fought not to cry out in panic and run amuck like the goblins. Jareth rose from the floor where he had held Sarah and looked at his dearest friend Kaleb. "Where are you?" he snapped to the room, knowing the enemy had to be somewhere within the confines of the ballroom.

Kaleb clutched the knife Sarah had been holding tightly in his hand and looked around as well, keeping an eye out so that the guests didn't get injured in whatever was about to happen. The music had stopped, the candle light flickered and then suddenly all of the flames in the room went out, a collective gasp filling the room. "Jareth…" Kaleb whispered. Jareth held up a hand to silence him as he peered around in the darkness.

"King Jareth- we present to you…." A voice from the darkness echoed and several dark figures approached the center of the room, the guests parting for them, "Our master Taliv!" With their final word the main window of the ballroom exploded and screams erupted around them. Slivers of glass flew across the room, Sarah who had been lying beneath the window cried out as several fell down upon her. Jareth braced himself as he instantly recognized the name. Taliv was his uncle, his father's brother, and their most dangerous enemy. Taliv had always been jealous of the thrones. One thing he had always wanted was a throne, but his brother and then his nephew took over the thrones he thought he would be able to control. This instantly crushed his dreams and he spent years developing his magic abilities, waiting for the perfect moment to attack. "Kaleb…grab her…" he instructed in a low voice as his friend immediately rushed to Sarah's side and swept her up from the ground, careful of the glass as he did so.

"Jareth," Sarah croaked, "Careful…." She was staring with wide eyes through the shadows at the man standing in the window sill. What if he did kill Jareth? Sarah had just finally given herself over to his advances, finally accepting that they were in love. That they had been in love since the first time they met, though at that time her fear and anger covered her feelings. He had watched her and protected her for so long without her knowledge, and then they were once more reunited. Sarah frowned, she couldn't lose him. Not before they were able to share their life with each other.

Jareth paid no mind to Sarah's warning, his eyes were focused on Taliv, "Why won't you just give up your useless struggles…even if you were to take a throne…not a single subject would follow your lead…You are weak Taliv…You have always been weak…" Jareth said evenly to the man. Taliv jumped down from the window and laughed, a strong, rich sound. He sounded honestly amused, but his amusement seemed to disappear within seconds as his eyes fell on Sarah in Kaleb's arms.

"You…." Taliv growled as he narrowed his eyes at Sarah, who screeched at the pain that suddenly flared up in her chest, "Will die this evening…You failed in your mission…"Another cry fell from her lips and Sarah's breathing became ragged and shallow.

"ENOUGH!" Jareth yelled as the fight began. Taliv took some of his focus off Sarah, who seemed to loosen up in Kaleb's arms, getting a small reprieve from the pain in in her body. Jareth began to summon his magic as did Taliv, who was already warmed up and ready to tumble. The guests in the room had moved to cower by the door of the ballroom, which opened suddenly as Jareth threw his hand back, "OUT!" he demanded, and they all fled out of the door. Kaleb began to move as well, but found his feet to be rooted in their spot, and several dark figures circling him. "Kaleb?" Jareth barely glanced over his shoulder and cursed under his breath.

"I cannot move, my King…." Kaleb replied tensely. "I believe it to be his magic holding me…."

Taliv laughed again and shrugged his shoulders, "Not how you thought it would play out, King Jareth?

"How did you even get into the Labyrinth?" demanded Jareth. He had believed only guests with invitation had been allowed through the Labyrinth.

"You make it sound like it was incredibly difficult, Jareth…My dear nephew. I have been planning this for centuries…I know how to get into the Labyrinth by now, I've watched the goblins run amuck within it's walls, and how to follow them without being seen. All one must do is find one and then follow him through the twists and turns until his steps draw him to the castle…" Taliv shrugged.

"How. Did. You. Get. Into. The. Castle," Jareth asked with clipped words. Taliv seemed even more amused with his obvious anger.

"I pretended to be a guest of course…since I disappeared from society so many years ago, most have forgotten my existence…It was not difficult to find a discarded invitation and work my way in past the already intoxicated guards…" He chuckled as if it wasn't a big secret. "But the best part of it all was tricking your little champion…A simple glamour was all it took to lure her into the gardens, and then she was ours for the picking…."

Sarah looked at Taliv as if he was the most horrid monster she had ever known, which possibly could be true. He smiled back at her and then looked to be considering something, "Maybe I won't kill you…" he mused, "Maybe once I kill Jareth…I'll take you as my own…Make you my Queen…" He nodded his head, "That sounds like a perfect idea. I'll teach you some manners, and some discipline…" While Taliv was ranting on about what he would do with Sarah once Jareth was dead, he decided to stop paying attention to his opponent. Jareth noticed this and conjured a crystal which he threw at his Uncle. It was then that Taliv regained his awareness of Jareth and he smacked the crystal away with a laugh. "You cannot kill me with your petty crystals…." Taliv had learned to control the elements with great efficiency, as was proven when he summoned a great wind which made Jareth stumble back.

Kaleb looked to each of the men approaching and gritted his teeth, "Sarah, can you stand?" he asked softly. She thought about it and frowned.

"I don't know…" She murmured, but Kaleb lowered her to her feet and she stood shakily with her hand on his shoulder, eying up the men as well. "What are we going to do?" she whispered, her chest aching as she spoke. The wind that beat at Jareth was rushing around the room and Sarah's hair was whipping around her head furiously. Kaleb still held the knife as the first man lunged for them. He couldn't move from his spot, but he could still use his arms, which he did as he slashed out at the man, catching him across the face. Crimson blood flowed instantly from the man's face, sending streams of red down his pale skin. The man hissed and fell backwards, obviously not expecting Kaleb to fight back with Sarah right there. "Kaleb!" Sarah yelped as a man moved in from behind them. Kaleb couldn't turn around and cursed under his breath as he pulled Sarah in front of him. A cry fell from his lips as the man stabbed a blade into his back, "Kaleb, give me…give me the knife…" she said as she reached for it.

Shakily she took it from him and slid around to push the man away, "Leave him be!" She snapped, coughing at the sudden effort it took to act strong. The man laughed as Kaleb slumped, his body slowly lowering to the ground. The injury must have been deeper than Sarah though, she couldn't let anything happen to him. Afterall, he was only trying to protect her. She ignored the pain that bloomed inside of her body and circled Kaleb's body, making sure to ward off the men trying to get to him. "Ah!" She cried as she slashed out with the knife, the men jumping back with surprise. They hadn't expected Sarah to have claws. Glass crunched from beneath her shoes as she moved, her eyes flickering from man to man, daring them to step forward and try to make a move.

Jareth and Taliv were still fighting; the wind had died down only to be replaced with a scorching heat and an a brutally chilled bite to the air. Sarah was confused as to how it was possible to be feeling both. Most of the fighting didn't seem to be visible, but with invisible power fields. She felt the power in the air, so thick it was suffocating. Jareth looked worn out, but so did Taliv, and she knew that the two men wouldn't be able to keep up what they were doing for much longer. The men trying to get to Kaleb had even stopped what they were doing to watch in awe at the power battle going on. This left Sarah some time to take a breather, her body fatigued and ready to give up.

Her rest was short lived however when suddenly all the candles in the room were set ablaze, with dangerously high and large flames. They seemed unreal for the candles they were shooting from. She cried out as the one nearest her licked at her skin. Sarah cradled her arm against her chest and focused on Taliv who was suddenly glaring at her. "Enough!" he shouted. Jareth made a loud noise of anger as Taliv appeared beside Sarah. She gasped as his arms wrapped around her body and pulled her to his chest. "I will be leaving- but your champion comes with me"

Sarah struggled in his grasp but only until his magic wrapped around her and she felt her body still, her heart barely beating as she looked at Jareth across the room with wide eyes. He looked frantic for a moment, before his face closed down and he looked only angry. Taliv started to back up, his steps taking him towards the window as Jareth moved slowly forward towards him.

Many things happened very quickly next. Taliv's power thrummed around Sarah and she knew he was getting ready to take her away from the battle, but at the same time she felt something cool and comforting wrap around her ankle. She felt safe for a moment, even as Tavli's grip tightened and he leapt for the window. As he jumped she felt the floor beneath her disappear, her fear returning as she thought of falling out of the window with him, but as he fell she was yanked back into the ballroom as if by an invisible rope. She cried out as she hit the floor, the glass shards biting into her skin. The last thing that resonated through her ears was the sound of Taliv's angry cry.

She didn't know how long she had laid there, but when she awoke she felt Jareth's arms around her. "Sarah?" he questioned, shaking her lightly. "Sarah say something, are you alright?" he said urgently. Sarah groaned and let her eyes flutter open.

"Is he gone?" she asked softly. "KALEB!?" she yelled as she moved to sit up, only to flinch back into Jareth's arms.

"He is gone for the moment…" Jareth murmured angrily, "Kaleb is being tended to…" Jareth sighed and Sarah noticed the tired droop to his eyes, only a moment before his arms went slack around her and they both slumped to the ballroom floor. Sarah panicked for a moment, until she heard his breathing, steady and even. He was just exhausted.


	10. Chapter 10

Unfulfilled Desires

Chapter 10

A/N: I know several of you are hating Sarah, hahaha. She's a bitch- I know, but we'll see what happens in the coming chapters. Some new characters are coming, let me know what you think about them. =] Thanks for your continued support and feedback everyone. Call out to my new readers/reviewers, TarahW, Honoria Granger and Kaytori. Thanks! Oh and I'm still stepping up with more improvements! Thanks for pushing me to try harder!

Slivers of sunlight poured into the room, causing Sarah to grumble and fuss, her body aching as she rolled over to hide from the sudden assault to her eyeballs. "Jareth?" she mumbled, opening her eyes fully to look around. She was in her room. When did that happen? She must have passed out shortly after Jareth had in the ballroom. Nurses must have brought them both back to their rooms. The room looked a lot different than the last time she'd been in it. Sarah couldn't put her finger on it though, something was different. Wiggling her toes beneath the covers she took note that the sheets were silkier than she remembered, a quick check revealed they were completely different, a hue of dark purple surrounding her instead of the soft creams and browns of her first arrival. Was that it? She frowned, her brow creasing as she became more curious about what felt different. She sighed and sunk into her pillows, silently surveying what hurt and what didn't. Her head was aching something awful, a sharp pounding that remained right between her eyes. Her arms were bandaged with white cloth, small lines of blood seeping through, and she felt a small stinging sensation beneath the bandages. She must have been more cut up from the glass than she thought. Her muscles were achy and her chest was sore, but otherwise she felt fine to get up. Immediately her thoughts fell on Kaleb and his injury. The pain she was sure she saw in his eyes when he fell to the ballroom floor made her chest tighten. He had been hurt protecting her, and trying to do his duty to his King. Surely he would be fine, Jareth hadn't seemed to fearful the night before when she had asked about his dear friend. She would have to merely trust in Jareth's judgment and try not to fret over it too much.

Her feet slid out of the covers and onto the plush carpet beneath the bed, long fibers sliding between her toes and making her smile. A pang of loneliness shot through her as she thought about Jareth. Was he feeling any better? Or was he lying somewhere alone in pain? "I wonder if he's thinking about me…" Sarah whispered, her green eyes twinkling with curiosity. With a mischievous grin she tip-toed from her room and across the hall to Jareth's room. She knocked on his door, but heard nothing so she resorted to just entering the room. It was silent. Her eyes scanned the lush bedroom, taking note of the roaring fireplace, made of shining stone, and the dark wooded furniture. His bed was large, covered in thick blankets and soft pillows, a warm color combination of deep red and brown. His carpeting was even more comfortable than her own, and as she slid her feet through the fibers she let her eyes fall onto his form. He was lying in the center of his bed, his breathing quiet, and his face peaceful. He looked like a young boy while he slept. There were no worries creasing his brow, or anger narrowing his eyes, just smooth curves and a gentle smile resting on his lips.

Sarah stopped next to the bed and slowly lowered herself to it, sliding beneath the covers to sneak closer to him. Without a word his arms wrapped around her and held her tightly to his chest, which Sarah just noticed was bare, and extremely warm. "Jareth?" Sarah questioned in a whisper, her lips pressing softly against his chest. He responded with a content sigh. With her head pressed to his chest she listened to the sound of his heart, willing her heart to beat with his own. There were things that still scared Sarah about Jareth and about the Underground. If she could only sink into him, and learn to understand the world as he did. Perhaps then she could feel at ease in his home. She loved him, that much she knew, that much she couldn't deny any longer. But she also couldn't deny the life she left above.

They both lay comfortably in each other's arms for a while, occasionally snuggling into one another's embrace or caressing each other. They didn't speak, they had no need to. Everything was fine, and they were both safe for the time being. All they had to do was take comfort from each other and relax in the peace they had found. Eventually Jareth did open his eyes and sit up in bed, pulling Sarah with him, but keeping his arm carefully around her.

She was only mildly aware that he was reviewing her injuries, mostly because she was still stuck in her own mind. Jareth grabbed her arm and began to slowly unwind the bandages, "Jareth…" Sarah murmured, the slightest edge of irritation creeping into her voice.

"Allow me this Sarah- before you get upset or angry…" Jareth said softly, obviously not in the mood for any of her attitude. Sarah opened her lips but closed them a moment later, settling Jareth with a glare. Her emerald eyes were narrowed and wavering as small splinters of pain shot up her arm. Jareth finished unwrapping the bandage and made a small curse under his breath, shaking his head at her arm. "I'm sure the other is no better…" he grumbled. His voice made Sarah tense, something he didn't miss as he quickly dropped her arm. "I thought we had stepped past this Sarah- you've nothing to fear from me…" His voice dropped to a soft tone, the sound wrapping around Sarah like a warm blanket, comforting and welcoming.

"Jareth-" Sarah started, unable to keep her thoughts to herself anymore, "What about my family? You said it wasn't safe for me to go home…but what about them? Surely Taliv knows about them! What if he hurts them? Hurts Toby?! Or Karen!? Or even my father? Maybe he's given up and I can go home and be with them…" Sarah said in a rush of words.

"Sarah…" Jareth whispered, his eyes giving his emotions away for a single second. She saw pain, despair, utter disbelief and betrayal. But then it was gone and a cool mask settled over his face instead. "Sarah you cannot go home…I do not trust your safety above…"

"But Jareth! My family! What about their safety?!" Sarah argued.

"I cannot allow you passage to the aboveground Sarah, I just cannot…I will assure you they will remain safe…but you are to remain here…" Jareth wasn't budging in the argument. Sarah would have to be happy with what she was getting. Obviously Sarah had expected things to go her way and she pushed away from Jareth, hissing at the stinging sensation in her arm. In a whirl of dark hair, pale skin, and fabric she was storming across the room. "Sarah!" Jareth called out, his voice strained.

"You're just selfish Jareth!" Sarah cried out before opening his bedroom door and slamming it shut as she entered the hallway. Her chest felt tight again, her emotions getting the best of her as she stumbled back to her own room to be alone. "How can he keep me here!" She growled to herself. "I'm not his…I'm not even part of his world! He might as well be kidnapping me himself!" She continued to rant around her room as she grabbed clothes to take with her to the bathroom. Her attire consisted of undergarments, a dark blue gown, which had a fitting bodice and long sleeves which connected to a sweeping neckline. A golden trim embroidered with sweeping Celtic knots adorned the edges of the gown. She added a pair of flats to the outfit and set them beside the tub.

She stared at the tub with an irritated glint in her eye, "How do they fill these things?" She waved her hand over the large stone bowl and then pouted. Sarah turned away and began to pace into the bedroom, but it was only moments later that the smell of peaches reached her senses. "Huh?" She rushed back to the bathroom to see the tub filled with steaming water. "This place…" she grumbled, slipping out of her bedclothes and dipping her foot into the water. The water was the perfect temperature, slipping around her foot and then her leg, followed by her entire body as she sunk into the depths of the tub. She could sit in it with nothing but her head above the water, but she paused before sinking her arms in. Sarah needed to remove the other bandages so the water didn't make it cling to her skin. Slowly she unwrapped the cloth and tossed it aside, glaring at the cuts along her skin. She knew it was going to hurt, and she really didn't want to do it, but in one swift movement she pushed both of her arms into the water and cried out softly. The water seeped into the wounds and it stung horribly, but she knew they needed to remain clean.

It took her awhile to eventually drag herself from the water, her muscles finally relaxing and the pain in her arms diminishing. But Sarah knew she would do nothing but turn herself into a prune if she remained in the water for much longer. The air of the room caused her to shiver and Sarah quickly reached for a towel. Luckily there was an oversized rack of towels sitting feet from the bathtub. Her hand grabbed one of the plush lengths and pulled it quickly around herself, sighing in the sudden warmth she found. Her mind drifted silently to Jareth, wondering what he was doing in his room. Were his lips pulled into a tight line of aggravation? Or were his eyes drooped with despair at her sudden departure? Her movements became instinctual as she dried off and got dressed, her mind not focusing on anything but how she left Jareth in his bed. They had been so close, so comfortable, and then she had ruined it.

She seemed to do that a lot; ruin things. Jareth was trying to give her everything she ever wanted. He wanted nothing but her happiness and her safety, but time after time she shoved it all in his face. Above all else, she called him selfish. Sarah frowned as she walked into her bedroom, her dress comfortable and warm around her. The fabric clung to her body and she imagined it was Jareth who clung to her skin instead, that it was his embrace that kept her warm, not the fabric against her. Sarah's chest and cheeks flared red and she shook her head. "Perhaps…I'm the selfish one…" She whispered.

With a sigh of defeat she left her bedroom to search for breakfast. She needed something in her stomach before she started any deep thoughts about her future with Jareth and the Underground. The hallways of the Goblin castle were cold, so much so that Sarah found herself wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm. She should have grabbed a few extra layers, but she hadn't realized that the Underground had such swift changes in temperature. It was only the night before that they celebrated the incoming winter season, but already it was stone cold within the walls. The bitter edge to the air only made Sarah walk faster down the halls, eyes barely skimming the pictures and tapestries that hung on the walls. If she paused to look she would see years of family history and art work, things that Jareth held very dear. His family was important to him, but Sarah did not know he even had one.

Her feet came to a sudden stop as she attempted not to run over the two fae that paused in their jovial conversation to look at her. They had seen her before she saw them, and it took Sarah a minute to take in their appearances. A man and a woman stood regally before her. The woman had light blonde hair, pulling back into a braid at her back, her eyes a sparkling blue color that held years of secrets behind them. She wore a dress similar to Sarah's, except hers was grey, a black shrug wrapped around her shoulders to keep away the cold. The woman was thin; something she noticed was popular among the fae, which she without a doubt was. The man at her side was several inches taller than his partner, with dark eyes and equally as dark hair. It was long and pulled back with a clip at the nape of his neck. He wore a pair of black slacks that hugged his legs, shiny boots, a white billowy linen shirt, and a black leather vest. A necklace with a crest hung between the folds of his shirt and his arm was gently resting on the woman's back.

"Sarah Williams I presume?" asked the woman, her voice friendly and her eyes lit up with interest. Her brows were raised as she awaited an answer. "Oh how rude of me….I am Natalia, and this is my husband Koja…" She gave a small curtsey and Koja bowed to Sarah, who stood in surprise.

It took her body a moment to register the past few seconds, but once it had she curtsied as well and cleared her throat lightly, "Oh…oh I'm Sarah, yes…" She was speechless. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to nearly run you over.."

Natalia looked amused, but shook her head in dismissal, "Do not fret, we know you are not from the Underground and we will not hold your…manners against you," her tone was teasing, but Sarah felt bad nonetheless. All of the fae spoke so regally, she really didn't know how to respond to them when she was confronted alone. "Come Sarah, to the dining hall to eat breakfast with Koja and I…"Natalia reached out her hand and took Sarah's, pulling the young woman along down the hall. Koja looked amused, and followed along leisurely, keeping a careful eye on the two women.

Before they had even arrived at the dining hall, Sarah could smell the aroma's coming from within. Natalia opened the doors wide and inside sat a feast to be devoured. Which was odd to Sarah. She turned to questioned Natalia but the she tsked and shook her head, "It is yet another celebration feast, Sarah. One to finish what was interrupted last night, as well as to celebrate the health of our King and Champion." Sarah nodded and moved in to further look around. Banquet tables were set up amongst the large dining hall, with food covering them. Dark blue table linens decorated the tables, as well as the dining tables, with frosted flowers as centerpieces. What Sarah assumed was fake snow was sprinkled about the tables as well giving a very wintery mood to the décor. Soft music was filtering through the room from the corner, where a few fae stood playing instruments she had never seen before. Many of the guests from the night before were littered amongst the room, eating, quietly chatting and enjoying the entertainment. They were not in the sweeping gowns from the previous night though, but more comfortable attire as Natalia and Sarah wore.

"Why do you celebrate…the winter? It's cold and dead…the beauty of everything is gone…" Sarah questioned her companions with a frown.

Natalia laughed softly and Koja spoke, "Ahh, but it is but the opposite, dear girl. The winter does destroy most of our summer growth, but in it's death blooms winter berries and the peaceful silence of the cold. A blanket of snow covers the land, undisturbed and pure. The land sleeps, and prepares itself for the beauty that will grow in the Spring…" When Koja finishing speaking, Sarah looked sheepishly down at her shoes. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment and she could feel their eyes waiting for her response. "You will come to see, Sarah…" Koja encouraged. "Ladies- go feast…" He gave Natalia a gentle shove, who then grabbed Sarah and pulled her into the festivities.

Sarah ended up having a plate of fruit, with several small bite sized pastries she had no name for. Sitting down at one of the long dining tables, Sarah turned her attention back to the 'fake' snow on the table. She lifted a finger to pick one up and realized it was real snow, the moment it touched her skin it melted without getting the table wet. "Natalia…what is this?" Sarah was in awe at the magic of it all.

"A simple trick that the decorator's like to do. I have seen them do the same with rain droplets in the spring celebrations…Though they have not done so in many years...Magic, Sarah…" Natalia giggled softly, her blue eyes portraying her amusement. "I do forget how fun human's are…I must ask my brother if I can stay longer…"

Sarah was taking of bite of a peach when she stopped, looking at Natalia with caution filled eyes. Her brow was creased as she lowered the peach back to her plate and parted her lips to speak, "Your brother?" her voice shook as she spoke.

"Well the King of course...Jareth?" She said softly. "Did he not tell you of his family yet?" Natalia looked like she was about to pout, but shook her head and smiled, "Jareth has two sisters, and one brother. Our parents are the High King and Queen of the land…I don't live in the Goblin Kingdom, I live with Koja, or should I say Prince Koja in his families kingdom…They live to the east of the Labyrinth…The Kingdom of Crè…"

Sarah must have looked as confused as she felt, because Koja showed up then and laughed heartily at her, "It means Earth…My families kingdom revolves around nature and all it gives…"

"That explains why you like winter so much…"Sarah grumbled. The two just laughed at her again and Sarah could help but smile and slump in her seat a little bit.


	11. Chapter 11

Unfulfilled Desires

Chapter 11

A/N: So have I gotten any better with the writing quality? Or is it just as bleh? Haha. Thank you FallenAngelVamp for your review and interest. I hope you continue to enjoy the fic! Snowbirdyoukai, I'm sorry about Sarah, she's trying to improve. For everyone else who thinks Sarah is a string of bad words…Honestly? Wouldn't you be pretty pissed off and emotionally crazy if you'd been kidnapped and pulled into a world you never thought you'd see again? Especially when you can't go home!? Sarah is in a time of transition with her emotions and actions, don't label her yet. Honoria Granger- If you ever read again, I'm sorry you grew to dislike it. Other than that- please enjoy everyone.

* * *

_Sarah was taking of bite of a peach when she stopped, looking at Natalia with caution filled eyes. Her brow was creased as she lowered the peach back to her plate and parted her lips to speak, "Your brother?" her voice shook as she spoke._

_"Well the King of course...Jareth?" She said softly. "Did he not tell you of his family yet?" Natalia looked like she was about to pout, but shook her head and smiled, "Jareth has two sisters, and one brother. Our parents are the High King and Queen of the land…I don't live in the Goblin Kingdom, I live with Koja, or should I say Prince Koja in his families kingdom…They live to the east of the Labyrinth…The Kingdom of Crè…"_

_Sarah must have looked as confused as she felt, because Koja showed up then and laughed heartily at her, "It means Earth…My families kingdom revolves around nature and all it gives…"_

_"That explains why you like winter so much…"Sarah grumbled. The two just laughed at her again and Sarah could help but smile and slump in her seat a little bit._

* * *

Sarah ate quietly, mulling over the fact that she was sitting across from Jareth's sister. His sister! He had not once mentioned his family to her, and yet he confessed his love. Natalia was chatting quietly with Koja and suddenly turned to Sarah, "Sarah- you know…the way you and Jareth act with each other is highly inappropriate by our standards. It is fine right now, because Jareth is King and no one of a higher rank is visiting, but if my mother were here…Oh my…She would about lose her mind!" Natalia found that idea to be extremely amusing and snickered to herself quietly, her fingers twirling lightly around the end of her long braid. Koja nodded in agreement.

"What do you mean?"asked Sarah.

"What she means, is that in the underground you do not simply kiss another person, let alone a King, unless you are related too, or married to said person,"Koja explained.

"But we only kissed once in public…and the ballroom cheered, "Sarah argued. Her lips were pursed in a pout and her brows furrowed in dismay.

"Ahh, but they were also drunk off fae wine and not of their right minds…Their King also would have been very upset had they not responded well…" Koja added.

"Well..he kissed me…so you can just tell him to mind his manners, not me!" Sarah grumbled.

Her companions suddenly stilled and Natalia had the look that she was stifling a laugh, her hand slowly lifting to cover her mouth. Sarah sighed, knowing exactly why they would act as they were, Jareth had to be right there. Right behind her. As she turned she rolled her eyes and murmured, "How kind of you to join us, Jareth…your sister and brother-in-law are delightful people…" Sarah said in a sickly sweet voice.

"Ah Sarah, don't be so testy…I didn't tell you because I simply had other things on my mind…" Jareth waved off her nasty tone and sat down beside her. "How are you sister? Koja..?" He was smiling again, but Sarah looked closely at his eyes, which were guarded and giving no true idea over his mood. He was probably still mad at her for storming out.

"We are wonderful, brother!" Natalia cheered, "I absolutely adore your Sarah…She is precious…Could we extend our stay for a while? I am sure Sarah despises being cooped up as one of the few women in this castle!"

Jareth appeared to be thinking over his decision while also eyeing up some of the food on the far tables of the room. "Go get some food, Jareth…" Koja laughed, "We can hear your stomach from across the table…" The jest was fun, and Jareth nodded before standing up to fetch himself some food. Natalia looked at Sarah with a frown once he was gone.

"Sarah- why are you being so mean? I assure you my brother did nothing to purposely upset you….He would never!" Natalia assured her with a bright smile.

"I- Well…" Sarah shook her head and stood up from the table, "It is nothing…I'm sorry…" As she turned to leave, Jareth stepped back to the table.

"Sarah..?" he said softly. She stared forward at his chest, as if her eyes could burn a hole through him which she could dive through and disappear. "I have decided that my sister's stay will be extended…would you not like to stay and socialize?"

Sarah bit her lip and looked back at Natalia who was looking chipper and ready to talk. "Oh and Jareth! I can give her lessons on Underground etiquette…She will be a lady in no time at all." The offer was kind, and Sarah knew that deep inside, but the idea that she was a barbaric human flooded her mind and she pushed past Jareth to leave. He didn't attempt to stop her this time, but just watched as she crossed the room and pushed her way into the hallway. Once there she took a deep, shuddering breath.

"A lady!" she huffed, "I don't need lessons to be a lady…" she grumbled, trying to lie to herself. She did like Natalia and Koja, but she didn't like that they were tied to Jareth. Perhaps through Natalia she could learn more about Jareth and maybe feel closer to him in the way he felt close to her? Sarah leaned against the palace wall and sighed, her head beginning to ache due to her emotional turmoil.

"Sarah? Oh my dearest Sarah!" came a voice from down the hall. Sarah looked up to see Melody bounding towards her. "I could simply not believe the events of last night!" Melody threw her arms around Sarah's neck and crushed her in an impossibly tight hug. "Do you feel better? Are you ill still?"

"Melody…I feel fine- bit of a headache though…" she mumbled. Melody smiled and grabbed Sarah's hand, pulling her away from the dining hall.

"Where are we going?"

"To get you something for that ache of course…." Melody answered warmly. "We cannot have you walking around in a gloom because of pain…"

"How long are you staying Melody?" asked Sarah softly.

"Oh…" Melody's tone dropped and she loosened her grip on Sarah's wrist. "I am departing very soon…within the hour actually. I was coming to bid Jareth a goodbye…"

"Go say goodbye, Melody….I don't need anything for my head…" Sarah urged.

"Well…I must not lie…but I wish to see Kaleb before I go as well, and he is in the medical wing…which is where we are headed now…" Melody replied sheepishly. She looked at Sarah with a light blush spreading across her cheeks. Sarah merely smiled and nodded her head in understanding. "He was poisoned you know…" she whispered as they reached the door to the medical wing. Sarah's eyes widened, their green hue looking damp as she held back tears.

"Oh go-."

"Shh…Let us go…" Melody hushed Sarah as she opened the door and pulled her into the room. It was quiet and the healer looked up immediately from whatever he was mixing. "Hello Humeg…I have brought Sarah here for something to help her headache…"

Humeg was a tall, lithe looking man with long grey hair. His eyes were honey colored, with age defining wrinkles around them. He was old, probably older than Sarah could imagine, and he seemed wise as he looked at Melody with a knowing glance. "Milady Melody…he is in the room behind me…Go see to him….Dear Champion…I believe this," he reached behind him and pulled out a small vial with an amber liquid in it, "Will do well for your head…" he handed the vial to Sarah as Melody rushed off to the other room. Sarah uncapped the vial and downed the contents with a groan, "Yes it tastes very unpleasant…but it will do the trick…" Sure enough, moments after the disgusting taste passed, Sarah's headache was gone.

"May I go see Kaleb as well?" Sarah asked softly, looking at the door Melody disappeared behind. The healer nodded and Sarah skittered off quickly to the door, which she opened without hesitation. The room felt hotter than anywhere else in the castle, which she could understand since there were two fireplaces in the room. The room was lined in small beds, but only one of the beds was occupied. Melody had grabbed a chair from one of the corners of the room and pulled it to Kaleb's side, her hand in his as she leaned over to look into his face. It was then that Sarah realized she should have knocked.

They looked so intimate and absorbed with one another. Since her entrance they had not looked to greet her, which Sarah assumed meant they had not yet noticed her. She stood silently by the door and watched them.

"My father is demanding me to return home, Kaleb…" Melody whispered softly, her free hand reaching out to brush hair from his eyes. "I cannot bare to leave with you in this bed…" Her voice cracked and Kaleb lifted a slender hand to wipe, what Sarah assumed was a tear, from her cheek.

"Melody…my Melody…I will regain my strength and come visit when I can…" Kaleb said in a low voice, his eyes heavy lidded as he lay in his bed of pillows and blankets.

"Kaleb…I fear…he will try to marry me when I return…" Melody whispered, lowering her head to rest on his shoulder as sobs shook her shoulders.

Kaleb's eyes opened a bit more when she spoke those words, and he seemed to tense. "No." The single word caused Melody to sit up and look at him with wide eyes. "No…Damn it!" A sudden bout of strength returned to him and he sat up, grabbing Melody's shoulders. "I will not lose you…Melody…give me the honor to court you, with the intention of marrying you once the formalities are done with…Please Melody…do not let me lose you…" His words were filled with passion and love, and his voice was strong throughout the whole proposal.

Melody was silent, her mouth open in surprise, but her eyes sparkling with happiness. "Yes…" she finally said, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around Kaleb's shoulders. "Yes…"

Sarah grabbed the door handle and turned it only to be stopped by Kaleb's voice, "Sarah?" he seemed surprised. "How long have you been there…" He didn't seem angry so Sarah laughed softly.

"Awhile…I just wanted to say thank you for last night and to see how you were…But I can tell you're in good hands…So…bye!" she dodged any questions by running out the door and into the healer's room. He chuckled at her as she flew by and into the hallways.

Her heart swelled with happiness as she walked through the castle. She was so happy for Melody and Kaleb, knowing that they were perfect for each other, just by the way they spoke to one another. She wanted to have that with Jareth, but she couldn't keep her snide remarks to herself. Sarah groaned and pressed her forehead to the hallway's stone walls. "I want him to be happy…" She whispered, closing her eyes and willing herself not to cry. "I want to be happy…" She whimpered. "I want to go home, but I don't want to leave him behind…or this behind" she mumbled.

"Then tell him that…" came a soft, gentle voice from several feet away. Sarah jumped from the surprise and looked over to see Jareth watching her with a gentle smile. "Sarah…" he murmured as he walked towards her. "I thought you just wanted to leave me behind…" he admitted.

"I just miss my family, Jareth…" Sarah said as she watched him approach. She leaned against the hallway and fiddled with the folds of her dress. "I want to see Toby…"

"You don't want to leave me? You still stand by what you said last night?" Jareth questioned. He looked like an innocent boy, worried that his first love no longer cared for him. In a way he looked lost as he asked.

Sarah laughed softly, "Jareth- seriously? I've spent the last several years trying to forget you…it didn't work..do you really think I'd stay sane if I went home and never came back?" she shook her head and rolled her eyes. Jareth's face lit up at her words and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against his chest. "Jareth I do love you…I just…I'm having a hard time showing it and believing in…us…"

Jareth pulled back a little and frowned, looking down at her sadly. His eyes were narrowed, but not in anger, in confusion. "How can you not see.." He started, but Sarah placed a finger to his lips.

"Shh…Just know I love you Jareth..I just can't show it yet…" she explained. He sighed and nodded his head, obviously willing to be content with just knowing that she loved him.

"But truly Sarah, you should take Natalia up on her offer of lessons in etiquette.." he teased, smiling. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, pushing away from him to get some space, "You aren't barbaric, Sarah….you just know nothing about our customs…It isn't a bad thing…"

"Yea yea…fine whatever…I'll do it…" she grumbled. Jareth was smiling when Sarah looked up at him, "Stop grinning like that…" She murmured, trying to hide the smile that threatened to peek out as well. He only grinned bigger which made Sarah laugh and turn away to stalk down the hallway.

"What is wrong Sarah?" Jareth mused, following behind as she laughed and moved a little faster to avoid his arms. He was trying to capture her in an embrace as she dodged and turned through the corridors.

"Stop Jareth!" Sarah whined as she turned around a corner, only to be pinned against the wall by his hands. She was breathing a little heavier now, her chest rising and falling in shaky breathes as her eyes focused on his own.

"Seems I captured you, precious…" Jareth whispered. They both looked a bit flustered as they remained in the hallway, Jareth's body pinning Sarah to the wall, a warm blush spreading through her chest and face. "Sarah…" he continued, "Am I still allowed to court you as we previously discussed?"

Sarah opened her mouth to respond, unsure of her answer, but closed it a moment later. Jareth noticed her hesitation and frowned, leaning away from her slightly. "Jareth-.."

"I will not force you, Sarah, If you want to wait until you are ready.." he spoke, but his voice sounded broken.

"Jareth…listen to me…" she urged, "I…would very much like to be courted, but…I want to see my family…"

Jareth groaned and pulled away from her to lean against the opposite side of the hallway. "Sarah…"

"Jareth…why can't you do this for me? You could go with me…keep me safe…I can't not see them much longer…It's killing me…"

"I told you they are safe Sarah…just trust me…Please?" Jareth assured her.

"Jareth- I will let you court me…but within the next few weeks I need to see my family….You cannot keep me here against my will…" Sarah said sternly. Jareth thought about it for several long minutes, and finally nodded.

"Fine…by the next full moon you will be escorted by myself to the Aboveground to visit with your family…but until then you must come on all dates and planned events with me…." Jareth finished his sentence with a wicked grin. Sarah smiled, but shook her head at his enthusiasm.


End file.
